No abstract

The report describes a laboratory-scale investigation of thermal (noncatalytic) and cetelytic hydrogen treatment processes for converting the residuum material (+990°F) in Athabasca bitumen to distillable hydrocarbon fractions. The experiments were made in the liquid phase, using a conventional flow apparatus with a bottom-feed pipe reactor at pressures from 500 to 3500 psi. the rate of accumulation of sludge (combined tar, coke, and mineral matter) in the reaction vessel was greatest at high conversion levels and low pressures. Continuous operation was not possible at 500 psi, but at 1000 psi the concentration of residuum (including clay) could be reduced to 18-207 without serious difficulty. Considerable gas formation occurred at all pressures in the thermal experiments and at low pressures in the catalytic system. It was only at high 1)4ssures that the catalyst suppressed gasification relative to the conversion °f the residuum, resulting in a marked increase in the yield of liquid product. Maximum permissible extra cost for catalytic processing, compared to thermal hydrocracking (capital cost plus catalyst), is estimated at 25-30abbl.